Erling Haaland acknowledged that Cristiano Ronaldo was the figure who inspired him as a child to become a great forward. The star of Manchester City and Norway’s national team spoke about CR7 during an interview with TV 2.
“Yes. He is my most important inspiration. I remember always watching videos of Cristiano Ronaldo on YouTube. I observed all his moves in the box and how he was able to develop his game.”
According to Haaland, the Portuguese legend was the key figure in helping him learn how to navigate in the box with teams like Bryne, Molde, Red Bull Salzburg and Borussia Dortmund.
“You watch his years at Manchester United and his early seasons at Real Madrid to become more of a striker. It was incredible how he played, but also his way of scoring goals. The subtle movements in the box to deceive the defenders.”
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Erling Haaland won’t face Cristiano Ronaldo at the 2024 UEFA Euro
Despite Erling Haaland shining at the club level, the problem is with his national team. Norway have been officially eliminated from UEFA Euro 2024, meaning the star won’t be able to face players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe or Jude Bellingham in the tournament.
Haaland was the top scorer during the 2022-2023 Champions League and, as a consequence, a few weeks ago he took home the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year award after his amazing performances with Manchester City.
Nevertheless, Erling Haaland’s major goal is to win the Ballon d’Or after finishing in second place of the 2023 voting. He was only surpassed by Lionel Messi, thanks to the Argentina’s victory in the 2022 World Cup.
Now, his only chance to win the individual trophy in 2024 will be another spectacular season in the Premier League and the Champions League. However, Mbappe and Cristiano will have the big stage of the UEFA Euro in Germany.